For enterprises | Impact Investing Australia

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Many not-for-profit organisations and social entrepreneurs are looking at innovative ways to expand, increase their scope and ensure their positive impact is sustainable.

SEDI Grants

The Australian Government has extended the Social Enterprise Development Initiative (SEDI) Grants program for one year, with approximately $2.6 million in funding for new capability building grants for social enterprises. Impact Investing Australia (IIA) is the administrator of the grants program.

SEDI First Nations Grants

IIA, in partnership with Malu, will receive approximately $2.5 million in funding for capability building grants specifically for First Nations social enterprises. We’re currently working with the Department of Social Services to finalise details. More details on SEDI First Nations Grants will be provided here, as they become available. You can also stay updated by signing up to our newsletter (subscribe below) and via the Department of Social Services website.

Overview

SEDI Grants help social enterprises, including trading Indigenous owned or controlled organisations with a direct social benefit, grow their business, scale their impact and further their missions of creating positive social change. The grants, valued at up to $120,000 each, support social enterprises to be more effective and efficient in demonstrating and increasing social impact for the people and communities they exist to support.

The initiative supports social enterprises across all states and territories that are delivering services to improve social and economic outcomes for individuals, families and communities experiencing disadvantage in a range of social outcome areas, including: communities, employment, education and First Nations Australians. View full list of the DSS outcome areas.

Funded by the Australian Government’s Department of Social Services the grants are to be used to purchase business and impact capability building services from intermediaries, such as financial services, evaluation and impact measurement, business consulting and legal advice.

Grant eligibility

Eligible SEDI Grant applicants:

Are a social enterprise (see definition below) or a trading Indigenous owned or controlled organisation with a defined social benefit
Have a direct impact in one or more of the approved Department of Social Services outcome areas
Currently provide direct benefit to those experiencing entrenched disadvantage in Australia
Are an Australian organisation
Have beneficiaries who primarily reside in Australia
Have a trading revenue that exceeds $50,000 per year
May be early stage but have progressed beyond the start-up phase
Are seeking to scale impact (now or in the future) in one or more of the approved outcome areas to address entrenched disadvantage in Australia

Grant process

New to SEDI Grants

Social enterprises that have not previously submitted an application for a SEDI Grant and believe they qualify, may submit an Expression of Interest. IIA will then arrange a phone conversation to discuss your grant eligibility and the process. Social enterprises that meet the eligibility criteria will be invited to submit a grant application (following the phone conversation with IIA).

EXPRESSION OF INTEREST

Previous SEDI Grant recipients and applicants

Social enterprises that have previously been awarded a SEDI Grant or submitted a grant application and were unsuccessful do not need to submit an Expression of Interest. If you wish to reapply, email SEDIGrants@impactinvestingaustralia.com with your organisation’s name and the name and email address of the person who will be completing the application. This can be the original applicant or someone new at your organisation. Please note that the nominated person will need to have an existing Good Grants account, or register for one, before access to your previous application can be transferred to them. Once set up, they will be able to log in to the portal and update your application to reflect where your organisation is today before resubmitting. Please note that the SEDI Grants operate on a rolling basis, so you are welcome to resubmit at any time. Your application will then be assessed at an upcoming SEDI Grant Panel meeting.

Timeframe

There will be rolling grant rounds and we anticipate SEDI Grants will be open through to early 2027.

Notes

Definition: A social enterprise is a business that puts people and planet first. It trades like any other business, but exists specifically to make the world a better place. A social enterprise seeks to solve a social or environmental problem. It can be a for-profit or non-profit organisation, or a charity that trades.
For the SEDI Grants program ‘trading revenue’ is income from the sale of goods or services to different customers in a repeatable way. It does not include donations, philanthropic or government grant funding for the delivery of social services. If trading revenue (as defined above) makes up less than 50% of all revenue, the organisation’s capability building plan must include activities that aim to substantially grow the trade element, to encourage sustainability. If a high proportion of trading revenue comes from one customer, the organisation’s capability building plan must include steps to attract more customers. The amount of funds awarded for a SEDI Grant depends on (1) the capability building services a social enterprise requires, (2) the associated provider/intermediary costs and (3) the social enterprise’s internal costs necessary to purchase capability building services. A grant will not be valued at more than the social enterprise’s annual turnover. The maximum value of a SEDI Grant is $120,000.
This is a competitive grants process. Meeting all the eligibility criteria is not a guarantee of being awarded a SEDI Grant.
An eligible applicant must currently provide direct benefit to those experiencing entrenched disadvantage in Australia. An organisation is not eligible to apply if the only benefit being provided is indirect (e.g. your organisation supports social enterprises that are providing the direct benefit).

Application Guidelines

FAQ

EXPRESSION OF INTEREST

Education and mentoring

Complementing the SEDI Grants program is a whole-of-sector education and mentoring support system. This includes Understorey, an online tool to help social enterprises navigate the sector and to learn, exchange and contribute to a better future. Understorey brings together learning communities and leading practice resources. It is targeted at those in or interested in the social enterprise sector, aiming to feed curiosity, offer practical solutions, and inspire new possibilities for the future. Social Enterprise Australia is the steward and coordinator of Understorey.

SEDI Grants Scam Alert

The Department of Social Services (DSS) received reports of an email scam where a scammer, posing as a representative of DSS, emailed members of the public offering a $120,000 grant under the Social Enterprise Development Initiative (SEDI) program. The scammer requested the victim’s contact details, and then sent a false ‘grant certificate’ to notify them they have been selected, which included a falsified signature of a senior department officer. To gain access to the payment, victims were told they needed to pay a $250 fee to unlock a debit card.

What to do if you are contacted by a scam attempt

DSS does not contact members of the public through social media or email to offer grant opportunities. Legitimate grants will never require the recipient to pay a fee to access the amounts, and debit cards are not used to disburse grant payments. If you are contacted by one of these scam attempts, do not provide any personal or financial information. You can report it to DSS via contact details on their website or contact: fraud@dss.gov.au.

Feedback

We value all forms of feedback (positive or negative). Details of our feedback policy and how to contact us with feedback on Impact Investing Australia and our activities (including the SEDI Grants program) is available here.

Impact intermediaries

Impact intermediaries provide capability building services that help social enterprises scale their impact.

Note: There are no SEDI Grant ‘approved’ providers/intermediaries. The intermediaries listed on our website have not been accredited by IIA. We recommend you conduct thorough research to determine the suitability of an intermediary for your needs. The cost of capability building services is dependent on an organisation’s complexity, capability and what services are required. In procuring any services the social enterprise and the provider/intermediary should ensure they have a common understanding of what work is involved, what will be delivered, how much time it will take and what the risks are (e.g. unknown information).

Affirmative Recruitment assists social enterprises to hire critical talent within their operations, with a unique focus on attracting and representing people with disabilities, providing targeted talent attraction strategies, specialising in permanent and fixed-term contract hiring
Arctic90 is a boutique advisory working with purpose-led businesses on strategy, operations, sustainable growth, market access and scaling impact
ARIIA provides bespoke research and evaluation services, consulting services and facilitated organisational capability building programs in the areas of innovation, leadership, change management and evidence-based practice
Australian Centre for Rural Entrepreneurship (ACRE) supports individuals, enterprises and communities to build new cultures of social entrepreneurship, community-led rejuvenation and community asset ownership
Awakening Leadership provides coaching, training, facilitation and consulting services to social entrepreneurs and purpose-driven leaders to elevate leadership and increase impact
Beckon Capital helps enterprises and investors mobilise capital to create positive impact
Benefit Capital offers a range of impact investing services, including helping social enterprises raise capital, corporate structuring for impact, reporting on impact and emerging impact investment opportunities
Benefolk (formerly The Xfactor Collective) offers support in 100+ capability areas, including governance, strategy, leadership, impact and outcomes measurement, evaluation, communications, fundraising, legal and financial
Better Charity works with for-purpose organisations on strategy, financing, fundraising, operations and impact
Blue River Group assists clients create impact investment products and then find the appropriate wholesale investors for those products
BlueRock helps social enterprises with business planning, financial management, contract negotiation, legal support and access to finance
brandkind provides branding, marketing and communications to support social enterprises to amplify their impact and grow
Business Council of Co-operatives and Mutuals (BCCM) provides advice and information to start-up and established co-operative and mutual enterprises in business planning, governance and legal, measurement and capital raising
Catena Capital provides capital advisory services to help organisations optimise their capital structure and make informed decisions
Centre for Social Impact offers capability building services across social impact and outcomes measurement, evaluation approaches, impact strategy, scaling models, Theory of Change and professional development
Changemakers Lab is helping grow the social enterprise ecosystem by assisting people and organisations through coaching, start-up programs and community support
Collab4Good is a South Australian impact intermediary that builds the capacity and capabilities of impact-driven individuals and businesses to lead, learn, connect and collaborate to deliver positive social impact
Collappor8 specialises in business strategy, contract negotiation, outcomes measurement and evaluation, and assists organisations in accessing finance, including grants
Co-operative Bonds works with purpose and values-driven member-based organisations to develop financially viable and sustainable business models that maintain a strong connection to their vision and community
Create and Evaluate specialises in social impact measurement, strategic planning, team building and training in grant writing, with expertise in regional and rural businesses
Echo Impact Group provides strategic change, systems impact measurement and evaluation, and community-led storytelling services for businesses, organisations and institutions to ensure continuity of their positive impact
Elaine Hendrick Consulting collaborates with social enterprises to turn their purpose into actionable strategies that maximise impact, measure meaningful outcomes and contribute to a better future for all.
Esparq Ventures is an Indigenous owned and led non-profit supporting early-stage Indigenous social enterprises to scale their impact
For-Purpose Evaluations works with for-purpose organisations and governments to create and implement social impact measurement frameworks and evaluate existing projects and new innovations
Foundstone is a strategy advisory working across healthcare, human services, not-for-profit, social enterprise, impact investment and select for-profit organisations to embed Impact-led, Open Strategy that drives outcomes and unlocks diverse funding
For Purpose Investment Partners is a social impact investment fund manager, bringing private sector capital and capabilities into sizeable businesses and projects to create significant social impact
Frankston Social Enterprise Hub seeks to establish the Southern Metropolitan region of Melbourne as a region renowned for flourishing enterprise doing good for people and planet
Geraldine Grace is a Melbourne legal practice helping create more responsible, human-centred, impact-led and environmentally conscious enterprises, with experience in governance and regulatory frameworks relevant to impact investing
Giving Tree Advisors helps not-for-profits and social enterprises build grant strategies, apply and navigate funding, drawing on experience from over $5 million in successful grant applications
Global Impact Initiative helps impact investing scale globally through specialised consulting, investment funds and education
GoodWolf works with for-purpose organisations on strategy, impact measurement, philanthropy and investment, operations and innovation
Hatchman Consultants is dedicated to empowering sports and community organisations in regional and remote Western Australia through comprehensive services in project management, grant writing, governance and the development of sustainable initiatives
Impact Boom provides social enterprises with advisory services to develop sustainable businesses that create positive social impact
Impact Generation Partners advises, invests in and supports enterprises that deliver financial as well as social and/or environmental returns
Impact Outfit supports organisations to scale and grow positive social and environmental impact through their business activities, investments and philanthropy
Impact Seed provides bespoke and programmatic capacity building and investment readiness support to social enterprises in Western Australia
ImpaQT bridges the gap between Queensland’s social innovation and impact investing sectors
Institute Community Directors Australia provides governance training and capacity building services for board directors and leaders in the community sector
Ithaca Impact provides support to organisations, including social enterprises, to scale their business and measure and report their impact to shareholders and stakeholders
Jess Cossens is a management consultant who supports purpose-driven clients with strategy, organisational effectiveness, program design and evaluation, diversity, equity and inclusion, project management and delivery
Leadership Space partners with social enterprise leaders and teams, helping them to steer through change and growth and to attract and sustain funding
Leadership Victoria develops, connects and inspires leaders from all sectors and backgrounds to tackle complex and systemic problems, and strengthen communities
LendForGood is a crowd-lending platform for impact businesses, helping them find the capital they need to grow by democratising impact investment
Madlen Toumbourou Consulting helps impact-driven organisations scale their influence, refine their strategy, tell their impact story, align operations with their mission and secure the resources needed for sustainable growth
Marque Lawyers is a certified B Corp that provides practical legal advice and support to purpose-driven organisations (including social enterprises, investors, and intermediaries) to build sustainable partnerships that are about making a positive difference while also earning financial returns
MinterEllison has expertise in assisting social enterprises to scale and grow, as well as broader sector support for social enterprise peak bodies, certifying bodies and funds
Nadia + Alf Taylor Foundation provides pro bono philanthropic advisory to individuals and organisations that want to invest in social enterprise projects. Its Enable Fund ensures that 100% of donor tax-deductible donations are channelled to credible, global projects
NeoT Solutions is a social enterprise working in regional and remote areas, transforming community aspirations into sustainable outcomes for the community, social, environmental and cultural sectors through place-based partnerships, strategic planning and authentic engagement
Olivia Cozzolino: Impact Practice works with social enterprises to develop strategy, diversify income streams, streamline operations and uncover the root causes of financial challenges – so they can grow their impact and achieve long-term financial sustainability
One10 enables change makers, innovators and social benefit suppliers to create by providing expertise, connections and access to investors and capital
Purpose Made offers solutions that create real impact, and advisory services on innovative financing
Purpose Plus by Tender Plus helps social enterprises with business planning, program design, financial management, philanthropy and government fund raising, and impact measurement
Purpose with Profit (PwP) advocates and works to grow the purpose-led economy, specialising in growth advisory using business and impact ESG indicators to break through the ‘purpose’ ceiling
Regen Labs helps regenerative enterprises to identify and connect with the right catalytic grants and finance – to enable progress and fulfilment of potential
Right Lane is an ethical management consulting firm serving the purpose economy with a vision to build a strong Australian purpose economy that delivers a fairer and more prosperous society
Sedo Group supports social enterprises to grow and compete in the social procurement space by helping them get certified, build capability, connect with partners and secure grants and contracts
Sefa equips social purpose organisations with the tools, knowledge, resources and financial solutions to become more confident, sustainable and fitter to make a positive impact
Social Change Central is a dedicated online hub for social enterprises
Social Engine acts as a centralised hub and strategic partner, offering a comprehensive suite of services designed to streamline operations, facilitate growth and maximise the impact of social enterprises
Social Impact Hub helps social enterprises maximise their impact through advice, education, collaboration and the mobilisation of capital
Social Outcomes supports clients to develop evidence-based impact frameworks with clear outcomes measures designed to support the impact capital-raising process
Social Scaffolding supports organisations to create social good, for social enterprises this may include business modelling, outcome measurement, impact assessment, governance and reporting
Social Ventures Australia provides advocacy, consulting and advisory services, including strategy and governance, business planning, capital raising (wholesale market) and outcomes management
Solutions2You provides business advisory services, leadership and mentoring programs, and supports women-owned business
StartSomeGood provides tools, education, coaching and a blended ecosystem of community, courses and fundraising platforms to turn bright ideas into real impact through social entrepreneurship
Sustainable Value specialises in social outcomes frameworks and measures that enable the collection of service user data to produce insights about human outcomes from programs, businesses and services
The Data Conversation supports social enterprises and community organisations to collect, manage and use data to make a difference. Services include designing social impact measurement frameworks, designing and building data recording systems, and developing reporting dashboards and data visualisations
The Difference Incubator partners with entrepreneurs to strengthen their growth strategies and impact, by providing business strategy support, financial modelling, investment readiness, and business and mindset coaching
The NonProfit Alliance and For-Purpose Alliance catalyse the collective wisdom and experience of for-purpose leaders through peer-to-peer leadership programs that build capability
Towards Better specialises in inclusive community development, custom training modules and mentoring programs tailored to enhance social enterprise effectiveness and sustainability
Worthwhile Ventures empowers First Nations people and enterprises that generate positive impact for First Nation communities
Violet Co Legal & Consulting works with businesses and organisations wanting to make a positive impact with and for women and Indigenous peoples
winwork360 supports for-purpose organisations to plan and achieve sustained growth through strategy and planning, government and philanthropic grant writing, revenue diversification strategies and corporate partnership programs
White Box Enterprises builds, supports and advocates for large-scale jobs-focused social enterprises, so that every individual can access meaningful and inclusive employment

Impact incubators and accelerators

Impact incubators and accelerators help social enterprises and purpose driven start ups grow their business and prepare for future impact investment.

Note: There are no SEDI Grant ‘approved’ incubators and accelerators. The incubators and accelerators listed on our website have not been accredited by IIA. We recommend you conduct thorough research to determine the suitability of an incubator/accelerator for your needs. The cost of services is dependent on an organisation’s complexity, capability and what services are required. In procuring any services the social enterprise and the incubator/accelerator should ensure they have a common understanding of what work is involved, what will be delivered, how much time it will take and what the risks are (e.g. unknown information).

Australian Centre for Rural Entrepreneurship (ACRE) provides social enterprise learning and development expertise and advisory as well as incubator and accelerator programs for enterprising community-led initiatives
Enactus Australia is a national community of students, academics, business leaders, partners and program alumni with a passion to leverage entrepreneurship for positive social and environmental outcomes
Energy Lab is Australia’s largest clean tech startup accelerator
Green Collect works with organisations and communities to enable circularity, reuse and the best environmental outcome for all types of items
Impact Boom‘s Elevate+ program helps entrepreneurs develop sustainable and scalable impact enterprises
Impact Seed‘s Impact2Innovate program provides bespoke and programmatic capacity building and investment readiness support to social enterprises in Western Australia
One10 enables change makers, innovators and social benefit suppliers to create by providing expertise, connections and access to investors and capital
Regen Labs provides individual and cohort-based incubation and acceleration support to regenerative enterprises, primarily based in regional Australia
Scaling Impact helps start ups grow their business and prepare for future impact investment
Solutions2You provides business advisory services, leadership and mentoring programs, and supports women-owned business
StartSomeGood provides tools, education, coaching and a blended ecosystem of community, courses and fundraising platforms to turn bright ideas into real impact through social entrepreneurship
The Mill House Ventures delivers accelerator and incubator business programs for ACT start-up social entrepreneurs, as well as growth programs and business support activities to assist their sustainability
White Box Enterprises builds, supports and advocates for large-scale jobs-focused social enterprises so that every individual can access meaningful and inclusive employment